Vomiting, Sneezing (URI), and Kennel Cough

As a dog owner, no doubt you've noticed that your four-legged family member shares a host of human behaviors with you. However, some of these behaviors are more harmful to dogs than they are to us.

Vomiting
Vomiting is never a good thing, for dogs or humans. When humans vomit, we usually have a pretty good idea as to what caused it. However, dogs don't have this luxury, and it's dog owner's responsibility to realize this.

If a dog goes out and eats a pound of grass and throws up, this isn't that far out of the ordinary. But if your dog suffers from vomiting repeatedly, you should pay close attention. The first step you should take is to make sure your dog is eating the proper type and amount of food. If you suspect that your dog's eating habits are the cause of its vomiting, then change his diet just to make sure. If vomiting persists, then you should take your dog to the vet immediately, since frequent vomiting can be a sign of a number of serious ailments.

Sneezing
When humans sneeze, we get the occasional "god bless you" and we don't think much of it. However, when dogs sneeze it is a more serious gesture, because dogs shouldn't sneeze. If your dogs sneezes every once in a while you shouldn't worry about it, since it may be dust or some other harmless agent. But if your dog sneezes continuously you should contact your vet as soon as possible. There could be a foxtail burrowing inside its nose, it could be a sign of a cold or tonsillitis, or it might be an upper respiratory infection (URI), which is why constant sneezing warrants a visit to the vet.

Kennel Cough
When humans cough we usually go to a pharmacy or doctor's office to have it taken care of. The same logic should apply to dogs as well. Coughing is similar to sneezing in the sense that dogs shouldn't do it in the first place. Coughing for dogs is an unnatural behavior, and it could be the sign of heart problems, which is why if your dog is coughing repeatedly you should take him to the veterinarian right away.

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